The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to audio systems, devices, and methods.
Speech understanding or speech intelligibility is critical for effective communication and thus is of particular concern to the designer and user of almost any audio system. One example audio system for which speech intelligibility is of critical importance is the hearing aid. Vast amounts of time and money have been invested into improving the speech intelligibility of hearing aids over the last century. Improvements such as electric hearing aids were introduced more than 100 years ago. Digital signal processing was added to hearing aids more than 25 years ago.
Despite these improvements and their long history, however, modern hearing aids continue to suffer from a myriad of problems. For example, hearing aids are expensive. Typically, a pair of hearing aids can cost between $1,500 and $6,000. In some instances, hearing aids can cause additional hearing loss to the user's residual hearing. By their nature, conventional hearing aids operate by amplifying sound. However, over-amplification can result in additional hearing damage to the user's remaining hearing. Over-amplification is prevalent due to imprecise measurements of patient hearing thresholds, problematic fitting protocols, large speaker and microphone tolerances, and user demand for additional amplification as a solution for ineffective hearing aids.
Short battery life is another problem area for hearing aids. Hearing aid users can become frustrated with the nuisance of frequently changing or charging batteries. Feedback caused by the recursive pick up and amplification of the hearing aid's own output signal can result in disruptive and uncomfortable squealing noises. Furthermore, many hearing aid users are self-conscious about the aesthetics of hearing aids and are uncomfortable wearing visible hearing aids in public. Earwax accumulation, frequent maintenance, skin irritation, occlusion effect, the list of problems for users of hearing aids goes on and on. And yet, despite all of these problems, one of the most troubling and frequently complained about problems of hearing aids is that they are ineffective, particularly in noisy environments.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an audio system, device, and method for solving at least the above mentioned problems, and in particular, it is desirable to have a hearing aid which is effective in improving speech understanding and speech intelligibility, especially in noisy environments.
The drawings and detailed description are provided in order to enable a person skilled in the applicable arts to make and use the invention. The systems, structures, circuits, devices, elements, schematics, signals, signal processing schemes, flow charts, diagrams, algorithms, frequency values and ranges, amplitude values and ranges, methods, source code, examples, etc., and the written descriptions are illustrative and not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. Descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description.
For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements.
As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprise, comprises, comprising, include, includes, and/or including, when used in this specification and claims, are intended to specify a non-exclusive inclusion of stated features, numbers, steps, acts, operations, values, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, acts, operations, values, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various signals, portions of signals, ranges, members, and/or elements, these signals, portions of signals, ranges, members, and/or elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one signal, portion of a signal, range, member, and/or element from another. Thus, for example, a first signal, a first portion of a signal, a first range, a first member, and/or a first element discussed below could be termed a second signal, a second portion of a signal, a second range, a second member, and/or a second element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that words, during, while, concurrently, and when as used herein related to audio systems, devices, methods, signal processing and so forth, are not limited to a meaning that an action, step, function, or process must take place instantly upon an initiating action, step, process, or function, but can be understood to include some small but reasonable delay, such as propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action, step, process, or function. Additionally, the terms during, while, concurrently, and when are not limited to a meaning that an action, step, function, or process only occur during the duration of another action, step, function, or process, but can be understood to mean a certain action, step, function, or process occurs at least within some portion of a duration of another action, step, function, or process or at least within some portion of a duration of an initiating action, step, function, or process or within a small but reasonable delay after an initiating action, step, function, or process. Furthermore, as used herein, the term range, may be used to describe a set of frequencies having an approximate upper and approximate lower bound, however, the term range may also indicate a set of frequencies having an approximate lower bound and no defined upper bound, or an upper bound which is defined by some other characteristic of the system.
The term range may also indicate a set of frequencies having an approximate upper bound and no defined lower bound, or a lower bound which is defined by some other characteristic of the system. Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but in some cases it may. The use of words about, approximately or substantially means a value of an element is expected to be close to a stated value or position. However, as is well known in the art there are always minor variances preventing values or positions from being exactly stated. It is further understood that the embodiments illustrated and described hereinafter suitably may have embodiments and/or may be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein. Furthermore, it is understood that in some cases the embodiments illustrated and described hereinafter suitably may have embodiments and/or may be practiced with one or more of the illustrated or described elements, blocks, or signal processing steps omitted.
It is noted that while the invention described herein is described in context of audio systems, devices, and methods, the invention will also find application in many mechanical, electrical, power, and communications systems, devices, and methods.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the term acoustical frequencies can refer to a range of frequencies associated with the range of frequencies generally audible to humans, for example, from about 20 Hertz (“Hz”) to about 20,000 Hz. In addition, as used herein, acoustical frequencies can also refer to any frequency or frequency range where the invention described herein may find application. For example, in mechanical, electrical, power, or communications systems, devices or methods where, for example, resonance or resonant frequencies can be problematic, the invention described herein could be implemented to dampen or eliminate problems associated with resonance or resonant frequencies.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the term noise can refer to many different types of noise. For example, and without limiting the disclosure, noise may mean: a sound signal with a single fixed frequency and amplitude, a warbled tone, a chirping sound, a hiss, a rumble, a crackle, a hum, a popping sound, multiple tones, a signal having a randomly changing frequency and a randomly changing amplitude over time, incoherent noise, coherent noise, a combination of tones having random frequencies and random amplitudes, a combination of tones having random frequencies and fixed amplitudes, a random sound signal, uniformly distributed noise from a pseudorandom noise generator, “white noise,” “pink noise,” “Brownian noise” (i.e., “red noise”), and/or “Grey noise”, etc. Furthermore, “noise” may also include noise substantially within a range of frequencies wherein the noise comprises a signal having a substantially constant amplitude and having a randomly changing period corresponding to frequencies within a range of frequencies as described hereinafter. Furthermore, the randomly changing period can change as frequently as each cycle.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the terms add, added, adding, mix, mixed, or mixing may refer to any type of combination or summation of elements, signals, portions of signals, amplitudes, numbers, values, variables, sets, arrays, or objects. For example, the use of the terms add, added, adding, mix, mixed, or mixing may indicate electronic addition or mixing, numerical addition or mixing, digital addition or mixing, analog addition or mixing, or mechanical addition or mixing, such as air conduction mixing of acoustic signals.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the terms weight, weighting, or weighted can refer to making a value proportional to another value or can refer to adjusting a value by multiplication with a fixed constant such as a fixed constant less than 1.0, a fixed constant greater than 1.0, or a fixed constant equal to 1.0. Weight, weighting, or weighted may refer to amplifying, attenuating, or holding constant (e.g. doing nothing). Weight, weighting, or weighted can also refer to multiplying or modulating one signal by a second signal.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the terms replace, replaced, replacing, or replacement, when used in conjunction with sound signals or frequencies of sound signals, is not limited just to the elimination of a sound signal or frequencies of a sound signal and the provision of a substitute, but the terms may also refer to reducing or attenuating a sound signal or frequencies of a sound signal and the provision of a substitute. The terms may also refer to overwriting a sound signal or portion of a sound signal with a substitute. Furthermore, the terms may also refer to superimposing one signal on top of another signal or on top of a portion of a sound signal.
Those skilled in the art will understand that as used herein, the terms audio device or audio system can refer to a stand-alone system or a subsystem of a larger system. A non-limiting list of example audio systems can include: hearing aids, personal sound amplification products, televisions, radios, cell phones, telephones, computers, laptops, tablets, vehicle infotainment systems, audio processing equipment and devices, personal media players, portable media players, audio transmission systems, transmitters, receivers, public address systems, media delivery systems, internet media players, smart devices, hearables, recording devices, subsystems within any of the above devices or systems, or any other device or system which processes audio signals.
As herein described or illustrated, components, elements, or blocks that are connected, coupled, or in communication may be electronically coupled so as to be capable of sending and/or receiving electronic signals between electronically coupled components, elements, or blocks, or linked so as to be capable of sending and/or receiving digital or analog signals, or information, between linked components, elements, or blocks. Coupling or connecting components, elements, or blocks as described or illustrated herein does not foreclose the possibility of including other intervening components, elements or blocks between the coupled or connected components, elements, or blocks. Coupling or connecting may be accomplished by hard wiring components elements or blocks, wireless communication between components, elements, or blocks, on-chip or on-board communications and the like.
Many electronic and mechanical alternatives are also possible to implement individual objectives of various components, elements, or blocks described or illustrated herein. For example, the function of a filtered volume reducer could be accomplished via a completely or partially occluding ear mold, hearing aid dome, propeller, tip, receiver, etc., or, the function of a mixer could be accomplished via air conduction mixing of two acoustic signals. Furthermore, software or firmware operating on a digital device may be used to implement individual objectives of various components, elements, or blocks described or illustrated herein.
Multiple instances of embodiments described or illustrated herein may be used within a single audio device or system. As an example, multiple instances of embodiments described or illustrated herein may enable the processing of subdivisions of the various ranges of frequencies described herein. As another example, multiple instances of embodiments described or illustrated herein may enable a stereo audio device comprising a first instance of an embodiment for a right band and a second instance of an embodiment for a left band.
The inventor is fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description of the Invention or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for” and the specific function (e.g., “means for filtering”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for . . . ” or “step for . . . ” if the claims also recite any structure, material, or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventor not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are invoked to define the claimed inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the illustrated embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials, or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms of the invention, or that are well known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software, hardware or a combination of both. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices, and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. Thus, the full scope of the invention is not limited to the examples that are described below.
Various aspects of the present invention may be described in terms of functional block components and various signal processing steps. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions and achieve the various results. In addition, various aspects of the present invention may be practiced in conjunction with any number of audio devices, and the systems and methods described are merely exemplary applications for the invention. Further, exemplary embodiments of the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for audio filtering, amplification, noise generation, modulation, mixing, and the like.
It is noted that signal processing can be done in analog or digital form and various systems have a mixture of both analog and digital processes. The invention described herein can be implemented by analog or digital processes or a mixture of both analog and digital processes. Thus it is not a limitation of the invention that any particular process be implemented as either analog or digital. Those skilled in the art will readily see how to implement the invention using both analog and digital processes to achieve the results and benefits of the invention.
Various representative implementations of the present invention may be applied to any system for audio devices. For example, certain representative implementations may include: hearing aid devices and personal sound amplification products.